Star Wars exploded onto our cinema screens in 1977, and the world has not been the same since. After watching depressing and cynical movies throughout the early 1970s, audiences enthusiastically embraced the positive energy of the Star Wars galaxy as they followed moisture farmer Luke Skywalker on his journey through a galaxy far, far away, meeting extraordinary characters like mysterious hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi, space pirates Han Solo and Chewbacca, loyal droids C-3PO and R2-D2, bold Princess Leia Organa and the horrific Darth Vader, servant of the dark, malevolent Emperor.Writer, director, and producer George Lucas created the modern monomyth of our time, one that resonates with the child in us all. He formed Industrial Light & Magic to develop cutting-edge special effects technology, which he combined with innovative editing techniques and a heightened sense of sound to give audiences a unique sensory cinematic experience.In this first volume, made with the full cooperation of Lucasfilm, Lucas narrates his own story, taking us through the making of the original trilogy―Episode IV A New Hope, Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI Return of the Jedi―and bringing fresh insights into the creation of a unique universe. Complete with script pages, production documents, concept art, storyboards, on-set photography, stills, and posters, this is the authoritative exploration of the original saga as told by its creator.About the seriesTASCHEN is 40! Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible publishing, helping bookworms around the world curate their own library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia at an unbeatable price. Today we celebrate 40 years of incredible books by staying true to our company credo. The 40 series presents new editions of some of the stars of our program―now more compact, friendly in price, and still realized with the same commitment to impeccable production. Read more

Masterful Suspenseful Genius WorkBuy Your Copy of this 3-Book Collection from Ingersoll Lockwood Today!Travels and Adventures of Little Baron Trump and His Wonderful Dog Bulger was written by Ingersoll Lockwood and Published in 1889.Baron Trumps Marvellous Underground Journey was written by Ingersoll Lockwood and Published in 1893.1900, Or The Last President was written by Ingersoll Lockwood and Published in 1896.Buy Your Copy Today! Read more

Celebrate Star Trek: The Original Series and the show’s distinctive Midcentury modern design that would change design– and television–forever. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969) was the first installment of one of the most successful and longest-running television franchises of all time. Today, Trek fans champion its writing, progressive social consciousness, and aesthetic. Designing the Final Frontier is a unique, expert look at the mid-century modern design that created and inspired that aesthetic. From Burke chairs to amorphous sculptures, from bright colors to futuristic frames, Star Trek TOS is bursting with mid-century modern furniture, art, and design elements—many of them bought directly from famous design showrooms. Together, midcentury modern design experts Dan Chavkin and Brian McGuire have created an insider’s guide to the interior of original starship Enterprise and beyond, that is sure to attract Star Trek’s thriving global fan base. Read more

Readers have repeatedly called The Lord of the Rings the most important book of our age--absorbing all 1,500 of its pages with an almost fanatical interest and seeing the Peter Jackson movies in unprecedented numbers. Readers from ages 8 to 80 keep turning to Tolkien because here, in this magical kingdom, they are immersed in depth after depth of significance and meaning--perceiving the Hope that can be found amidst despair, the Charity that overcomes vengeance, and the Faith that springs from the strange power of weakness. The Gospel According to Tolkien examines biblical and Christian themes that are found in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. Follow Ralph Wood as he takes us through the theological depths of Tolkien's literary legacy. Read more

George MacDonald (1824-1905) is one of the great Victorians, friend to John Ruskin, Lewis Carroll, and Arthur Hughes, among others. He wrote in virtually all the genres--fiction, drama, sermons, poetry, criticism, fantasy--but is perhaps best remembered as one of the greatest and most enduringly influential of the Victorian writers for children. Sixteen essays--five reprints and eleven original--analyze MacDonald's work for children. All the full-length fantasies--At the Back of the North Wind, The Princess and the Goblin, The Princess and Curdie, The Lost Princess--and the major short pieces--"The Light Princess," "The Golden Key," "Cross Purposes," "The Giant's Heart" receive extended commentary.Contributors: Celia Anderson, Melba Battin, A. Waller Hastings, Cynthia Marshall, Rod McGillis, Michael Mendelson, Nancy-Lou Patterson, Stephen Prickett, William Raeper, Frank Riga, Cordelia Sherman, Joseph Sigman, Lesley Smith, and Nancy Willard. Read more

Uncover the twisted tales that inspired the big screen's greatest screams.Which case of demonic possession inspired The Exorcist? What horrifying front-page story generated the idea for A Nightmare on Elm Street? Which film was based on the infamous skin-wearing murderer Ed Gein?Unearth the terrifying and true tales behind some of the scariest Horror movies to ever haunt our screens, including the Enfield poltergeist case that was retold in The Conjuring 2 and the serial killers who inspired Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.Behind the Horror dissects these and other bizarre tales to reveal haunting real-life stories of abduction, disappearance, murder, and exorcism. Read more

Featuring more than sixty groundbreaking short stories by modern science fiction's most important and influential writers, The Ascent of Wonder offers a definitive and incisive exploration of the SF genre's visionary core.From Poe to Pohl, Wells to Wolfe, and Verne to Vinge, this hefty anthology fully charts the themes, trends, thoughts, and traditions that comprise the challenging yet rich literary form known as "hard SF." Read more

This illustrated journey through lost, overlooked, and uncompleted works is “a fascinating enrichment of the history of sf and fantasy” (Booklist).Science fiction and fantasy reign over popular culture now, associated in our mind with blockbuster movies and massive conventions. But there’s much more to the story than the headline-making hits. Lost Transmissions by Desirina Boskovich, with a foreword by Jeff VanderMeer, is a rich trove of forgotten and unknown, imagined-but-never-finished, and under-appreciated-but-influential works from those imaginative genres, as well as little-known information about well-known properties.Divided into sections on Film & TV, Literature, Art, Music, Fashion, Architecture, and Pop Culture, the book examines Jules Verne’s lost novel, AfroFuturism and Space Disco, E.T.’s scary beginnings, William Gibson’s never-filmed Aliens sequel, Weezer’s never-made space opera, the 8,000-page metaphysical diary of Philip K. Dick, and more.Featuring more than 150 photos, this insightful volume will become the bible of science fiction and fantasy’s most interesting and least-known chapters.“Will broaden your horizons and turn you on to wonders bubbling under the mass-market commodified pleasures to which we all too often limit ourselves.” ―The Washington Post Read more

Lost in Space was the first prime time weekly television series to take viewers into outer space’s strange new alien worlds – something the networks believed impossible on a TV budget and schedule. In this exciting new book series, you are whisked back in time to the production offices, writers’ conferences, and sound stages for the making of this iconic series. Included are hundreds of memos between creator/producer Irwin Allen and his staff; production schedules; budgets; fan letters; more than 500 rare behind-the-scene images in each volume; and the TV ratings for every episode. In Volume 1, author Marc Cushman documented Irwin Allen's early career – a true rags-to-riches story, as Allen ventured from a humble beginning in the Bronx to his later incarnations in Hollywood as an entertainment journalist, radio and television host, and a literary agent – all before becoming a successful motion picture producer and director. After winning an Academy Award in 1954, Allen entered the fantasy genre with films such as The Lost World and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He then rolled the dice again with a move into television, creating and producing Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for the fall of 1964 and, one year later, Lost in Space. In Volume 2, the story continues with Lost in Space's second season and a switch to color. But it has a tough new rival in space – NBC-TV's Star Trek. On Wednesday nights opposite Space, the red-hot Batman provides formidable competition in the ratings game. Paradoxically, CBS seems intent on sabotaging Allen, pressuring him to make the series more cheaply and change it from science fiction, action/adventure to camp/fantasy. In Volume 3, the story continues. The ratings continue to be strong, and many of the episodes are returning to the 'serious' format of the early first season. An order is placed by the network for a fourth season, and scripts are being written ... but that fourth year would never be realized. Now, after nearly 50 years, the reasons for the sudden end of this iconic series that pre-dated Star Trek are revealed. But there is much more. Travel along with the Robinson family -- the stars of Lost in Space who truly had become as a family to one another -- through the reunions, the conventions, the efforts by Irwin Allen to make a big-screen big-budget feature film with his stars, then a pilot for CBS, then one for NBC, and, finally, on the doorsteps of the new Netflix series due in early 2018. This story didn't end in 1968 when the original series went out of production. The space Family Robinson did make it home, and they are here to tell you their story. Remarkably, the most dangerous monsters of Lost in Space lurked behind the scenes … and wore business suits. The story of the making of the classic Lost in Space is rich with conflict, drama and surprises. And now you can be there to see it unfold. Read more

Paul Alkon analyzes several key works that mark the most significant phases in the early evolution of science fiction, including Frankenstein, Twenty Thousand LeaguesUnder the Sea, A Connecticut Yankee in King arthur'sCourt and The Time Machine. He places the work in context and discusses the genre and its relation to other kinds of literature. Read more

J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has long been acknowledged as the gold standard for fantasy fiction, and the recent Oscar-winning movie trilogy has brought forth a whole new generation of fans. Many Tolkien enthusiasts, however, are not aware of the profoundly religious dimension of the great Ring saga. In The Battle for Middle-earth Fleming Rutledge employs a distinctive technique to uncover the theological currents that lie just under the surface of Tolkien's epic tale. Rutledge believes that the best way to understand this powerful "deep narrative" is to examine the story as it unfolds, preserving some of its original dramatic tension. This deep narrative has not previously been sufficiently analyzed or celebrated. Writing as an enthusiastic but careful reader, Rutledge draws on Tolkien's extensive correspondence to show how biblical and liturgical motifs shape the action. At the heart of the plot lies a rare glimpse of what human freedom really means within the Divine Plan of God. The Battle for Middle-earth surely will, as Rutledge hopes, "give pleasure to those who may already have detected the presence of the sub-narrative, and insight to those who may have missed it on first reading." Read more

A fascinating analysis of the psychology behind the popular TV series Supernatural. From Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology; The Walking Dead Psychology; Game of Thrones Psychology) and Lynn S. Zubernis (Family Don't End with Blood; Fan Phenomena: Supernatural). Following the adventures of two brothers who investigate deeply strange and paranormal mysteries in their never-ending road trip, the TV show Supernatural has many fans eager to better understand the psychology behind the series' themes and characters. Featuring cast & crew interviews, this collection examines issues at the heart and soul of Supernatural's heroes and foes (fans, too):The role grief and trauma play in the protagonists' lives.The importance of music to the narrative.What motivates someone to hunt monsters and why we want to believe in magic.How angels relate to humanity and what that has to do with real intergroup conflict.How people can cope with tragedy, loss, addiction, and fear to become heroes who do the right thing.The dynamics of fandom: how fans relate to the narrative, characters, and actors, and continue to engage with series through fanfic, social media, and other practices.Contributors: Travis Adams * Colt J. Blunt * Jennifer Bonds-Raacke * Melanie Boysen * Jenna Busch * Erin Currie * Christine Dickson * W. Blake Erickson * Larisa A. Garski * Wind Goodfriend * J. Scott Jordan * Lara Taylor Kester * Elizabeth Kus * Travis Langley * Jonathan Maberry * Justine Mastin * Denisse Morales * James S. Nairne * Susan Nylander * Leandra Parris * Mark R. Pellegrino * John B. Pryor * John Raacke * Billy San Juan * Janina Scarlet * Stephan Schaffrath * Amanda Taylor * Paul VanPortfliet * Eric D. Wesselmann * Lynn S. Zubernis Read more

Animated by the stories of some of the last century's most charismatic and conniving artists, writers, and businessmen, Men of Tomorrow brilliantly demonstrates how the creators of the superheroes gained their cultural power and established a crucial place in the modern imagination. "This history of the birth of superhero comics highlights three pivotal figures. The story begins early in the last century, on the Lower East Side, where Harry Donenfeld rises from the streets to become the king of the 'smooshes'-soft-core magazines with titles like French Humor and Hot Tales . Later, two high school friends in Cleveland, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, become avid fans of 'scientifiction,' the new kind of literature promoted by their favorite pulp magazines. The disparate worlds of the wise guy and the geeks collide in 1938, and the result is Action Comics #1 , the debut of Superman. For Donenfeld, the comics were a way to sidestep the censors. For Shuster and Siegel, they were both a calling and an eventual source of the pair waged a lifelong campaign for credit and appropriate compensation." - The New Yorker Read more

Now in paperback, this deluxe field guide offers a unique look at the creatures that populate the Star Wars galaxy. Packed with hundreds of detailed and colorful illustrations of exotic entities in a wide array of habitats—from the ice fields of Hoth and the pastures of Naboo to the concrete jungle of Coruscant—this entertaining and comprehensive classic also provides information on the mating habits, feeding patterns, and defense mechanisms of these incredible beasts. Read more

The second part of The History of The Lord of the Rings, an enthralling account of the writing of the Book of the Century which contains many additional scenes and includes the unpublished Epilogue in its entirety.The Treason of Isengard continues the account of the creation of The Lord of the Rings started in the earlier volume, The Return of the Shadow.It races the great expansion of the tale into new lands and peoples south and east of the Misty Mountains: the emerence of Lothlorien, of Ents, of the Riders of Rohan, and of Saruman the White in the fortress of Isengard.In brief outlines and pencilled drafts dashed down on scraps of paper are seen the first entry of Galadriel, the earliest ideas of the history of Gondor, and the original meeting of Aragorn and Eowyn, its significance destined to be wholly transformed.The book also contains a full account of the original map which was to be the basis of the emerging geography of Middle-earth. Read more

When C. S. Lewis published The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe he created one of Christendom's most cherished allegories. Viewers of the movie, as well as readers of the book will come away deeply moved by what they have encountered in Narnia.They will have countless questions such as: How did the Witch take over Narnia? Why couldn't Edmund resist temptation? Why did the Lion have to die? And they will find the answers in this wonderful book written for Christians and non-Christians alike. Read more

Bill Kimberlin may refer to himself as “one of those names on the endless list of credits at the close of blockbuster movies.” In reality though, he’s a true insider on some of the most celebrated and popular movies and franchises of the past century. Jurassic Park. Star Trek. Jumanji. Schindler’s List. Saving Private Ryan. Even Forrest Gump. And perhaps most notably, Star Wars. Inside the Star Wars Empire is the very funny and insightful tell-all about the two decades Kimberlin spent as a department director at LucasFilm Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), the special effects studio founded by the legendary filmmaker George Lucas. Read more